Self-sharpening safety razor



Jame 26, 1928. 1,674,949

P. COOK SELF SHARPENING SAFETY RAZOR Filed Oct. 25, 1924 ATTORNEY Patented June 26, 11928.

NETEE STATES PAUL COOK, 0F EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

SELF-SHARPENING SAFETY RAZOR.

Application filed October 25, 1924. Serial No. 745.864.

This invention relates to razors, and more particularly to improvements in devices of =that class known as self-sharpening safety razors; it being the principal object of the invention to provide a safety razor of simple and novel construction embodying therein a stropping roller against which the blade may be adjusted and sharpened by drawing the roller back and forth while in rolling contact with a surface, such as a table top or the palm of the hand. This invention is an improvement on my application No. 736,- 866.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically reversing the position of the blade with each reverse movement of the roller back and forth across the rolling surface, so as to sharpen the cutting edge of the blade from both sides.

A further object of the invention is to rovide a razor embodying a sharpening roller for the purpose above stated and which further serves, during shaving, as a guard to prevent cutting the face and as a means for removing refuse lather.

A still further object resides in the provision of a locking shaft, operable by means of a thumb-screw at one end, for clamping the blade at different positions of adjustment for shaving and which may be loosened so as to release the blade for sharpening.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details of construction and combination of parts which provide for an easy application or removal of the blade and which makes possible the cleaning of the parts without their being disassembled.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the selfsharpening safety razor embodied by the present invention, showing the'parts set in shaving position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the blade holder, lock plate and blade.

Figure 3 is a part perspective and part sectional view in the longitudinal direction of the sharpening roller taken substantially on the line a b in Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a side and plan view of the razor.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the outer or abrasive roller with the inner roller partly inserted.

Figure 6 is a perspective of the roller shaft with cog wheel attached.

Figure 7 is a perspective showing the method of attaching the leather stropper to the metal base.

Referring more in detail to the several views of the drawings 1 designates the handle, 2 the jaws of the handle holding the blade and roller mechanisms. The handle is secured to the jaws by the screw 3 which permits adjustment of the handle angle in relation to the jaws.

A blade holder 4 is mounted rigidly on a shaft 5 with pinions 6 rigidly secured thereon. The pinions rest against the sides of the holder plate and the ends of the shaft protrude beyond them and form the means of mounting the blade holder assembly revolvably in the jaws of the handle through openings therein.

A blade 7 is mounted removably in the holder and is secured thereon by the loek plate 8 which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 9 secured in the sides of the holder plate. The lock plate consists of a plate having its longer end curved and its short end bent over at approximately right angles to the longer end. The plate is pivoted in the middle of the short end, the longer end constituting the handle or lever. As constructed the lock plate may be turned and locked in either forward or back position.

\Vhen the lever end is depressed and rests against the holder plate 4, the short end is forced against the blade, pressing it against the holder plate.

When turned forward in the position indicated by the dotted line 10 in Figure 4, the lock plate serves not only to hold the blade securely in position, but constitutes a guard plate as well, similar to the usual type of guard plate in use in safety razors. This construction affords the user two methods of operating the razor.

The back of the holder plate 4 is slightly curved as shown in Figure 4 to permit the locking in of blades of different thicknesses.

The pinions 6 of the blade holder mesh with gear wheels 11, which are mounted on a shaft 12 in the form of a bolt with a half round head. that extends through openings in the handle jaws.

The opposite end of the bolt or shaft is threaded to provide for a thumb screw 13 which tightens the handle jaws upon the blade holder frame or releases them according to the direction in which turned.

The gear wheels 11 mesh with the gear wheels 14, which are secured rigidly to a cylindrical core 15, which in turn is mounted on a shaft 16, the ends of which protrude and provide the means of mounting the said core revolvably between the jaws of the handle.

An abrasive cylinder 17 composed of leather or other suitable material is mounted revolvably and removably on the core 15.

The preferred form of mountin a leather stropper is shown in Figure 7, the leather 21 being cut with a diagonal joint, slits 18 are cut in the leather a short distance from the joint edges. In these slits are inserted tongues 19 of a metal plate 20.

The tongues are bent over and pressed down tightly against the leather, thus se curely binding the metal plate and leather cover together and the plate is then bent into cylindrical form.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to sharpen the blade, the thumb screw 13 is turned to loosen the jaws 2 so that the blade holder assembly and its shaft 5 are free to rotate.

The abrasive roller 17 is then placed on the palm of the hand as shown in Figure 4:, or other smooth surface such as a table top, and by means of the handle is drawn back and forth thus imparting a rotary motion to the outer roller.

This motion is in turn imparted to the cylindrical core 15 which turns on its shaft 16 mounted in the handle jaws.

The greater the pressure on the handle. the greater the friction on the two rollers and thegreater their adhesion.

As the rollers turn, the gear Wheels 14 on the core 15 revolve and transmit their motion through the intermediary gear wheels 11 to the pinions 6 of the blade holder, thus rotating the blade in the same direction as the rollers. Thus when the device is being drawn in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4, the blade will turn from right to left until it is arrested by contact with the abrasive roller. This contact will stop the turning of the core 15, but the outer abrasive cylinder Will continue to revolve on the core as a shaft, thus rubbing against and sharpening the blade. By moving the device in' the opposite direction the action is reversed and the blade sharpened on the opposite side.

The preferred method of sharpening is to draw the razor several strokes in one direction, pressing the blade against the roller with the thumb on the upper edge of the blade holder with such pressure as may be desired. An equal number of strokes should I then be taken in the opposite direction. When the razor is to be used for shaving, the blade holder is turned until the blade rests about the thickness of a hair above the roller and the thumb screw is then tightened, thus clamping the jaws of the handle upon the blade holder and cylindrical core 15. The outer cylindrical casing being slightly shorter than the core, is free to revolve.

If preferred the lock plate may be turned forward to form a guard plate, the curved edge fitting the curve of the roller and the razor used as the usual type of safety razor.

Much greater comfort and safety is to be had however, in using the roller in shaving as the roller moves in rolling contact with the face, just in advance of the blade and serves as a guide and guard for the blade and thus prevents cutting the flesh. The roller also deposits refuse and surplus lather against the pin 12, which serves as a scraper.

The rollers and blade assembly can be removed from thehandle frame'by unloosening the thumb screw, permitting the jaws to spring apart.

While I have shown the preferred forms of construction, it is evident that these forms may be varied Without departing from the principles upon which the device is constructed, and I claim the right to vary within such limitations.

Having thus described In I claim as new therein and by Letters-Patent, is:

1. In a razor of the class described, a handle. member, an abrasive guard roller mounted in said member in position for rolling contact with a surface, a frame pivotally mounted in said member, a blade mounted removably in said frame, means operable by the rotation of the roller in o posite direc tions to cause opposite sides of the blade to be moved into contact with the roller for sharpening and means for locking the blade mounting and frame against movement.

2. A razor of the class described, comprising a handle member, an abrasive guard roller mounted in said member in position for rolling contact with a superficies for sharpening and for rolling contact with the face for shaving, a frame pivotally movable in the handle member, a blade mounted in said frame and adjustable to bring its edge into spaced relation to the said roller for shaving, means for locking the frame and blade at adjustable positions relative to each other and to the handle member and releasable to permit pivotal movement and invention, what desire to secure means operable by reverse rotary movements of the roller in contact with a superficies for effecting rotative movement of the frame whereby opposite sides of the blade edge will be brought into contact with the said roller for sharpening.

3. A razor of the class described comprising a handle, two spaced apart jaws attached pivotally thereto, an abrasive guard roller mounted between said jaws, a frame pivot ally mounted in said jaws, ablade mounted in said frame with its edge adjustable into relation to said roller, means for locking the frame and blade into fixed relation with one another and with the handle jaws and releasable to permit free pivoted movement of the frame, and means operable by reverse rotary movements of the roller in contact with a superficies for rotating the, frame whereby opposite sides of the blade are brought into contact with the said roller for sharpening.

4. A razor of the class described comprising a handle, with spaced apart jaws, a shaft extended between and rotatable at its ends in said jaws, a frame rigidly mounted on the shaft, a plate pivotally fixed in the frame and adapted to be adjusted to different positions to serve when in one position as a guard and when in another as a clamping plate for the blade, a second shaft extended between the jaws having a nut at one end whereby the jaws may be clamped against the blade mounting frame to hold the latter at adjusted positions, an abrasive guard roller mounted in the frame, and means operable by reverse rotary movements of the roller in contact with a superficies whereby opposite sides of the blade are brought into contact with the said roller for sharpening.

5. A razor of the class described comprising a handle with spaced apart jaws, a frame mounted pivotally between said jaws, a blade mounted on said frame, means for clamping the frame and blade into adjustable relation with one another and the handle jaws, an abrasive roller mounted revolvably on an interior roller, said rollers mounted between the Said jaws and means operable by reverse rotary movements of the C abrasive roller in rolling contact with a superficies and transmitted through the interior roller to the blade frame whereby it is caused to rotate and bring opposite sides of the blade into contact with the abrasive roller for sharpening.

6. A razor of the class described comprisin a handle with spaced apart jaws, a threaded shaft extending between said jaws, with a thumb screw on the threaded end for clamping purposes, gear wheels mounted revolvably on said shaft, a frame and pinions mounted rigidly on a shaft, said frame mounted between the handle jaws by means of the protruding ends of the said shaft, a clamping plate mounted on said frame, a blade mounted on said frame, said frame pinions meshing with the gear wheels on the above described shaft, an abrasive roller mounted revolvably on an interior roller,

ably between the handle jaws, the roller gear wheels meshing with thegear wheels on the shaft described above and operated rotatively in reverse directions by rolling contact of the outer roller with a superficies thereby causing the blade frame to rotate and bring opposite sides of the blade into contact with the abrasive roller for sharpening.

7. A razor of the class described, comprising a handle with spaced apart jaws, a'frame revolubl y mounted between the jaws, a blade mounted iirthe frame, a stropping roller mounted by the jaws, releasable means for locking the frame in adjusted relation to the roller for shaving and mechanism operable by reverse rotary movements of the roller in rolling contact with a superficies for rotating the blade holder to bring opposite sides of the blade into contact with it for sharpening; said stropping roller comprising an inner shaft rotatably mounted between the jaws, a sleeve rotatable thereon and having tongues and an abrasive cover fitting about the sleeve provided with slots for receiving said tongues which retain it. in place.

8. In a razor of the class described, a handle equipped with a pair of spaced apart jaws, a blade carrier pivotally mounted between the jaws, a blade mounted in the carrier, an abrasive roller comprising a mounting shaft revolubly mounted at its ends in the jaws, a friction sleeve fitted about the shaft and an abrasive material secured about the sleeve, and means operatively connecting the shaft and blade carrier whereby reverse rotary movements of the roller will actuate opposite sides of the blade against the roller for sharpening.

9. In a razor of the class described, a handle equipped with a pair of spaced apart jaws, a blade carrier pivotally mounted between the jaws, a blade mounted in the carrier, an abrasive roller comprising a mounting shaft revolubly mounted at its ends in the jaws, a spring metal sleeve fitted about the shaft and adapted to maintain frictional holding contact therewith that is increased by pressing the roller against a superficies, and an abrasive material secured about the friction sleeve and means operatively connecting an end of the shaft with the blade carrier whereby reverse rotary movements of the roller on the superficies will actuate the carrier to ring opposite sides of the blade against the roller for sharpening, and releasable means for retaining the carrier at adjusted positions.

Signed at Seattle, \Vaslr, this 17 day of Oct, 1924.

PA COOK. 

